Pop Smoke and Coach Da Ghost — two sides of New York drill

Shadows of the Past and a Flash of Genius

It has been over five years since that tragic night in February 2020, when Bashar Jackson, known as Pop Smoke, was killed in Los Angeles. He was only twenty. His deep, husky voice still resonates in tracks like Dior and Welcome to the Party. Pop Smoke became a symbol of New York drill, a sound where British production merged with the street chaos of Brooklyn. His death served as a reminder of the fragility of this genre. Here, talent is closely intertwined with violence, and fame depends on the street code, where weakness is not forgiven.

If Bashar hadn't resisted, perhaps things would have turned out differently. But he couldn't act otherwise. In childhood, a video where he was humiliated became a trauma and disgrace for him. Since then, he lived by the principle of not backing down. His life was short but bright. He became the voice of Woo culture, a union of various Crips sets, and brought Brooklyn's street energy to the global charts. His death cut short this rise and divided the scene into two camps: Woo and their enemies from the GD alliance Choo.

Roots and Influence of Chicago and Los Angeles

To understand how drill emerged, one must return to its roots. New York has always been a city where cultures clashed. But beneath the storefronts of Manhattan lived streets governed by entirely different laws. GD, Crips, and Bloods came here from other states. Chicago and Los Angeles were the birthplace of these movements. Prisoners released from jails brought with them the ideology of street brotherhoods. In the 90s, OG Mack founded United Blood Nation in Rikers prison, thus laying the foundation for the spread of street culture throughout the city.

Brownsville and Flatbush became the arena. GD, originating from Chicago's Folks Nation, clashed with Crips and Bloods, part of People Nation. The old Crips and GD alliance, known as the 8 Ball Alliance, fell apart. Each district became a separate state. Marcus Garvey Village, Tilden Houses, Brownsville Houses - each building was under the control of its own gang. Crossing the street meant risking one's life. New York absorbed these wars. Old mafia structures gave way to street sets. When British drill arrived in the city in the mid-2010s, it was a perfect reflection of this chaos. Cold bass, short verses, and survival lyrics perfectly described what the street lived by.

In 2016, 22Gz released Suburban - the anthem of the GD alliance. In response, Sheff G from Woo dropped No Suburban. Thus, New York drill was born - the soundtrack to a real war, where each song was part of the conflict. By this time, Brownsville had been living in a state of tension for decades. In the early 2000s, the old GD set 74RAM was controlled by James JD McTier and Dwayne Divine Stone. They were brutal and respected. In 2003, they were arrested, and JD received a life sentence. After that, Hoodstarz/627, a new wave of GD, took their place. Alliances crumbled, new groups emerged. Choo became a symbol of northern Brownsville, Woo - southern. Dumont Avenue divided the city into two worlds.

The Birth of Coach Da Ghost

In this chaos, Culture Bermudez, known as Coach Da Ghost, grew up. He was born on May 1, 1994, to a family of Guatemalan immigrants and grew up in Marcus Garvey Village. His friends called him Coach - short for Culture. He quickly became known as a smart and calm guy, capable of leading. Around him gathered Poppa G, OCC, K.Dot, and other GD members. He was not just a fighter, but a strategist. His voice carried strength and experience. His freestyles and tracks on SoundCloud like Quiet Storm Freestyle and Wait were imbued with street philosophy. He knew how to turn the dirt and pain of the streets into music.

On June 27, 2010, Coach shot Tyquan Spann, the leader of BFG. The next day, Isiah Zae Loc Tyler from Woo was killed. A series of retaliatory killings began. On November 1, Hakeem Gravenhise, a fan of Hoodstarz, who posted a photo with a location and boasted about being on enemy territory, was killed. A few days later, Coach was arrested for weapons. Bail was denied. According to the investigation, he continued to give orders from behind bars. Over 18 months of this war, six people were killed and thirty-eight wounded. January 2012 marked the end of Operation Tidal Wave. The FBI arrested 43 people: 25 from Woo and 18 from Choo. Coach received six years. He did not deny his involvement and only said that he did what he believed was right.

Return and Success

Upon his release in 2016, Coach had changed. He became restrained and disciplined. He recorded Wait with Nick Blixky, and the track quickly gained popularity. His voice became recognizable in the drill scene. He wasn't glamorous like Pop Smoke, but he was honest and grim. His sound resembled the street where he was born. Gucci Mane offered him a contract with 1017 Records, but the deal fell through due to street politics. Ultimately, Coach signed with Atlantic and began collaborating with 22Gz, the leader of the GD scene. His tracks Hitlist, My Confession, Bipolar garnered millions of views. In 2019, he released the mixtape Ghost Stories, which became one of the most notable releases of the year in independent drill.

New Arrest and Sentence

But the past did not let go of Coach Da Ghost. In 2021, he was again involved in a shooting where a teenager died. Despite controversial testimonies, the court found him guilty. In 2025, he was sentenced to 60 years to life imprisonment. The possible release date is 2076. From prison, he recorded the freestyle Encore, which spread on YouTube. His voice was heard once again. Fans called him the ghost of drill - a symbol of a man whom the street did not let go, but who remained true to himself.

Significance and Legacy

The story of Coach Da Ghost is not just the story of one fate. It is a reflection of the drill culture itself. Pop Smoke became the face of success. Coach Da Ghost - the voice of those who remained on the other side. Both grew from the same soil and both paid the price for it.

Drill remains an important phenomenon because it speaks honestly. It does not hide reality. It is not about glamour, but about what a person feels living on the border between hope and fear. The stories of Pop Smoke and Coach Da Ghost are a reminder that even when the street births geniuses, it rarely lets them go alive or free.